My name is Jeff, (Not the Jeff from the film.)

Back in 2009 I moved to Stoke on Trent for afresh start after losing My Mum in 2008. At this time we were all in the grip of the stock crash, and self employed work was hard to find.

After settling here in Stoke, while working menial jobs to get by, I bought a pad and pencils, and decided to Draw a self portrait, I wasn’t satisfied with it, and started looking on-line for lessons to improve. After struggling to find affordable lessons, I took to You-tube and spent hours and days on end watching tutorials, but just couldn’t get my work to compare to anything I saw artists creating.

Frustrated and overwhelmed I gave up and picked up the construction tools again. My original trade is Bricklayer, and I have taken great pride in my work for over 30 years, however the years on-site have taken it’s toll on my health. I loved my work but sadly have had to leave Construction behind.

Until one day when I saw a Guy from America create an amazing video on You-tube where he walked through every stage of creating a portrait of Gerrard Butler, I was blown away…

So I reached out to him, The Guys name is Rick Fortson (Dr Pencil) now Rick replied to my enquiry and simply asked what materials I was using, I responded and he told me “change your paper”…???

I thought surely it can’t be that easy… ??? but thought what the hell try it?

He e-mailed me a reference photo, the very same Gerrard Butler image and told me to try it and let him know how I’d got on.

EUREKA… I couldn’t believe the difference… That was it, I was off and running, I spent every spare minute trying to perfect my techniques…

I met my beautiful fiancée in 2018 and have done my best to keep food on our table, yet the brickwork has had to go. During this last six months or so I decided to pick up where I left off and start my artistic journey again.

I hope you’ll join me on this journey, I believe that Anyone can draw, it’s not Unachievable.

It simply needs practise, and a few helpful pointers from people like Rick, whom without I would probably never had continued with my art.